Joan D Cordek

Joan Dorothy Cordek, 89, of Longwood, Florida, passed away peacefully on September 15, 2025, in the loving arms of her daughter, Amy Cordek. She was born in Curwensville, Pennsylvania, on October 27, 1935.

She was the most loving mother to eight children, “Mema” to 15 grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and countless others who were blessed to call her Mema or Momma Joan. Her deep spirituality allowed her to surround others with the purity of her love. She was proud of growing up on a farm in Pennsylvania, being an officer’s wife to Navy Lieutenant David Cordek, and living overseas in Nice, France, for six years. She enjoyed singing and dancing whenever she could. She loved knitting blankets and hand towels for family, friends, and strangers—but with Mema, you were never a stranger for long.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Josephine and Howard Witherow; her sister, Geneva Witherow Hutton; her brother, Tom Dooley Witherow; her husband, David Cordek; and her daughters, Karen L. Lewis and Margaret A. Cordek.

She is survived by her sister, Sarah Davies; her brother, Robert Witherow; her sons, David Cordek and Andrew Cordek (married to Carolyn Schafer-Cordek) of Jacksonville, Florida; her daughters, Amy Cordek, Melissa Cordek, Edith Cordek, and Julia Cordek Rusak (married to David Rusak) of Dalton, Pennsylvania; her grandchildren, Michelle (Shelly) Lewis Paynter (married to Shannon Paynter), Patrick Cordek (married to Paige Hull Cordek), Chelsea Cordek, Matthew Cordek, Jett Mulligan, Precious Mulligan (married to Alex Burnham), Natalie Mulligan Bertrand (married to Keith Bertrand), Blake Mulligan, Quentin Mulligan, Devin Cordek, Thomas (Tommy) Tatti, Sean Shefferman, Henry Rusak, Jacob Rusak, and Cooper Rusak; and her great-grandchildren, Kingsley, Clementine, Jon, Bodhi, Colton, Jett Jr., and Teagan.

Mema struggled with Alzheimer’s in her last few years. Her son Andy and his wife, Carolyn, provided loving physical, emotional, and memory care for many years as her needs increased. Most recently, her daughter Amy, a nurse, was able to help her through her final year of life with the assistance of Halifax Hospice.

Services will be held at Baldwin Fairchild Funeral Home, Altamonte Springs, on Saturday, October 4. Friends will be received from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., with the Funeral Mass beginning at 11:00 a.m. Interment will follow at Longwood Memorial Gardens at 12:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Alzheimer’s Foundation.